{
  "id": 11180421,
  "title": "Stephens cuts Cal-Maine Foods stock price target on weak margins",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/stephens-cuts-cal-maine-foods-stock-price-target-on-weak-margins",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-10-01T11:44:52.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Investing.com",
    "slug": "investing-com",
    "url": "https://www.investing.com/news/analyst-ratings/stephens-cuts-calmaine-foods-stock-price-target-on-weak-margins-93CH-4927229"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On March 1, 2023, investment firm Stephens reduced its price target for Cal-Maine Foods stock (NASDAQ: CALM) from $80 to $70, while keeping an Equal Weight rating. The downgrade came after Cal-Maine reported first-quarter fiscal 2027 earnings per share of negative $1.23, which fell short of the firm's estimate of negative $0.64 and the consensus expectation of negative $0.77. The earnings miss was attributed to lower gross margins, increased selling, general, and administrative expenses, and reduced other income. Gross profit margins for the company stood at just 14.28% over the past year, as of Q1 2027. Soft pricing in the shell egg business was due to an oversupplied market, and the results were further pressured by higher corporate expenses. Cal-Maine's production indicators suggest that the industry might be beginning to rationalize supply, with lower hatch rates and an increase in order cancellations. While Stephens found the valuation attractive, the investment firm believes the industry is still in the early stages of recovery and prefers to see more evidence of a sustained supply rationalization before becoming more constructive on the stock. Cal-Maine's stock has declined 24.63% over the past year and is currently trading at $68.06, close to its 52-week low of $63.50. According to InvestingPro's analysis, Cal-Maine appears overvalued at its current level and is one of over 1,400 US stocks covered by comprehensive Pro Research Reports, which convert complex data into actionable intelligence.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [
    "Stephens lowers Cal-Maine Foods stock target from $80 to $70",
    "First-quarter fiscal 2027 earnings per share negative $1.23",
    "Gross margins at 14.28% due to oversupplied market"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}